The children's toys that have soared in value

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Merchandise from Star Wars , Doctor Who and Lord of the Rings
could be particularly valuable. Charlotte Beugge explains how to make money
from your childhood toys.

The pile of plastic toys in your child's bedroom may be the way to your
family's future prosperity.

Surprisingly, it's not just Victorian dolls and ancient train sets which are
worth a mint. Even mass-market plastic toys from the Seventies and Eighties
can command large price tags and today's plastic toys could be tomorrow's
heirlooms.

And you may not even realise you've got a fortune stashed away. According to
research from Zurich, the average value of items stored in lofts is £584.
Its survey found that Barbies, Action Men and Fisher Price toys were popular
attic inhabitants. Merchandise from Star Wars , Doctor Who and Lord
of the Rings was also stored by many respondents and these could be
particularly valuable.

But while more than half of those storing toys in the loft told Zurich they
were hoarding for sentimental reasons, a fifth said they thought they would
be worth something one day. And they don't need to be box perfect: even toys
which have been much-loved and played with could be worth something.

Leigh Gotch, head of the toy department at auctioneers Bonhams, said: "Toys
from the not too distant past which are rising in value include early
hand-held electronic games and toys from fast-food meals. The original
Barbie and Action Man already have a great collectable value, with the
accessories and outfits sometimes more desirable than the doll. Thunderbirds
figures (from the late Sixties to early Seventies), Star Wars toys
(1977-83) and Hornby (LSE: HRN.L - news) trains also appear to be as valuable as ever."

Toys which are linked to their time but were not heavily promoted tend to
be collectable. John Ennals, who runs the website Tortoys.co.uk ,
started collecting Dinky Toys around 20 years ago. Mr Ennals says that his
customer base neatly divides into investors who want pristine models and
those who remember playing with them when they were young and want to
revisit their past.

He said: "Investors want boxes and any leaflets too. Half the value of an
item can be accounted for by the box." The most valuable item he's sold
was a Britains tractor for £550: it was also only produced for a short
period of time which made it rare.

Out of this world: Prices can soar for Doctor Who and Star Wars

He gets much of his stock from people who find boxes of items when a family
member dies. "Often they want items to go to a good home," Mr
Ennals added. But die-cast models are not immune from the economic climate
or indeed the effect of the media on prices. Mr Ennals currently has a James
Bond car with its original box on sale for £150. "Several years
ago one of those would have gone for £300," he said. "But
there was an item on Blue Peter about them and after that, people
remembered they had ones just the same and they flooded the market."

Mr Ennals warns that for toys to be worth anything, they have to be originally
sold as toys, not as collectors' items. "I get calls from people saying
they have extensive collections they bought in the Nineties. I have to tell
them they are worth a fraction of what they paid for them: it is the fact
that toys could have been played with, lost or damaged that makes them
valuable."

Another of Mr Ennals' specialisms is the Britain's Floral Garden range. This
was sold in the Sixties with collectors buying plastic mini-greenhouses,
lawns and flowers to make their own gardens. "These appeal to both
women and men," he added. A tiny piece such as a 75mm flower bed with
12 plastic gladioli is on sale for £12.75 without a box. "The
gardens look really attractive: these sell to enthusiasts rather than
investors," Mr Ennals said.

James Bond Corgi cars are popular with collectors

Mr Gotch added that classic toys such as Scalextric "will always be
collectable and Hornby trains never diminish in popularity. And early
Eighties hand-held electronic games are becoming very popular. With toys in
your attic, the most collectable and valuable in the future will probably be
the one that you least expect rather than the toys that were heavily
advertised and promoted. Remember that the original toys collected by adults
will be toys that have a connection with their childhood but also have a
connection in their adult life."

Carlos Mendoza has turned a childhood interest into a collection. He collects Star
Wars in particular. "I saw Star Wars in 1977 when I was
seven years old and was obsessed throughout my youth." Mr Mendoza, a
musician from Chicago and the father of seven-year-old twins has sold a
chunk of his collection over the past few years but still has some special
pieces.

"My pride and joy right now is my Stormtrooper armour and blaster which
are as accurate to the first movie as they can get. I also have a first-run
Darth Vader helmet that was released in 1977 around Christmas. It was
handmade and is inscribed on the inside with the copyright information."

He also has around 100 vintage Star Wars action figures plus other
memorabilia from Dr Who and other films and programmes. "I would
think my collection in total is worth about $10,000 (£6,400) but prices do
fluctuate. Sometimes something is worth $500 and a month later it can be
worth $50."

Big boy's toys: Horby trains hold their value

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Why I'm holding on to Scalextric, Action Man and Barbie
=

Margaret Coupland from Wrotham, Kent, has a sizeable collection of toys. "We've
got four children so we've got their toys from when they were small
including about 40 Corgi toy cars.

"My father started buying them for my son many years ago as he was
certain they would be worth something one day. My father was a really keen
collector and so my son, much to his annoyance, wasn't allowed to play with
the cars. This is why they are still in their boxes which enhances their
value."

Other toys in her extensive collection include Scalextric, Action Man, Barbie
and toys given away free by McDonalds. "I think there's an element of
luck with collecting. I do keep a keen eye out for items that will add to it."
Mrs Coupland has also continued the family tradition of stamp collecting,
started by her grandfather. She has stamps which are more than 100 years old
including a penny black.

Her collections are all covered under her Zurich home insurance policy in case
of damage or theft.

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TOP PRICE TOYS
=

• Tinplate HMS Terrible made by Marklin in 1905 sold for £76,000 last year
probably the most expensive toy ever sold in the UK

• Prototype of GI Joe made in 1963 sold for $200,000 10 years ago

• A Barbie doll with a diamond necklace sold for $302,500 in 2010

• A Steiff teddy bear dressed by Louis Vuitton sold for $195,000 in 2000

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